Foot actuated pressure generator



Feb. 10, 1948. F. A. MATULICH yF'J'ecr' .Malulich Feb; 10,l 1948. F, A, MA1-UNCH 2,435,928

FOOT ACTUATED PRESSURE GENERATOR Filed Oct. 13, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmap Patented Feb. l0, -1948 "UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE FOOT ACTUATED PRESSURE GENERATOR Fred A. Matuuch, Drytown, Calif.

Application October 13, 1944, Serial No. 558,592

6 Claims.

This invention relates to, and itis an object lto provide, a foot attached and actuated presapplication, Serial No. 558 591, led October 13,

1944, now Patent No. 2,385,419.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressure generator, as above, which comprises a ground engaging or sub-shoe adapted to be disposed under the users regulation shoe, there being means to hingedlyconnect the regulation and sub-shoev together at the forward end for relative vertical swinging movement, and a pump assembly connected between the regulation and sub-shoe adjacent the rear ends thereof, said pump assembly being operated upon relative separating and approaching movement of said shoes; the created pressure being delivered by flexible tubes leading to the storage tank on the users back. f

An additional obiect of `the present invention is to provide, in combination, a foot supported and actuated uid pressure pump, a body supported storage tank for the fluid pressure, and a portable, hand supported, iiuid pressure actuated pruning tool; there being ilexible conduits connecting between the pump and tank, and between the tank and tool.

A further object of the invention is to produce a, simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly eifective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claims.

In the drawings similar characters' of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device as in use, and at the top of its stroke.

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the device at the lower end of its stroke.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the pressure generator or pump as arranged in combination with a storage tank and a hand-supported, fluid pressure actuated pruning tool; there being uid conduits connected between the pump and tank and between the tank and tool.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises a ground engaging or sub-shoe, indicated generally at I, which shoe includes a bottom plate 2. At its forward end the sub-shoe I is fitted with a sole clip 3 hinged at the front, as at 4, to said sub-shoe I for relative vertical swinging movement. The clip 3 includes a flange adapted to overhang the edge of the forward portion of the role 5 of the users regulation shoe 6 which is disposed directly above the sub-shoe I. An adjustable cross bolt 'I clamps the clip 3 to the sole 5.

To the heel 8 of the users conventional shoe I aftx an attachment yoke 9 which surrounds said heel from the back, said yoke being split at the rear and held in place by a tension bolt I9 which extends through facing ears. At the front the yoke 9 includes a cross strap II which engages beneath the instep of the shoe 6.

A heavy-duty leaf spring I2 is secured to the bottom plate 2 of the sub-shoe I centrally within the latter and extends upwardly and rearwardly to slidable engagement in a cradle I3 formed on the cross strap Il. The spring I2 yieldably resists downward movement of the heel-supported yoke 9; there being a bumper I4 which limits the downward movement of the heel 8 toward the bottom plate 2.

On opposite sides of the heel 8 the yoke supports substantially vertically extending, reciprocating type pumps I5, each of which includes a downwardly projecting piston rod I6 pivotally connected, as at I'I, to the bottom plate 2 of the sub-shoe I; the pumps I5 being pivotally attached to the legs of the yoke, as atl I8, for swinging movement about a transver'e horizontal axis. Each of the pumps I5 includes an auxiliary fluid reservoir I9 and a boss 29 which encloses a check valve 2l closing toward the pump. Another check valve 22 is included in each pump between the corresponding auxiliary reservoir I9 and the pump cylinder; each `check 4valve 22 opening 'toward the pump. A pair of flexible conduits 23 and 24 respectively, lead from leachV pump; the conduit 23 being the pressure the" chamber 21 being partially filled with hydraulic uid and the remainder filled with air,

ras at 29, to form an air dome.

shoulder straps (not shown) or the like.

The chamber 28 is the main supply reservoir which feeds through the conduit 24 and auxiliary reservoirs I9 to the pumps l5.

Other flexible conduits 30 and 3l lead from' chambers 21 and 28 respectively, to the uid pressure actuated hand-supported tool, here shown as a pruning tool 32, as shown in detail in my copending application hereinbefore identified.

The conduit 30 which takes delivery from adjacent the bottom of the chamber 21 is the pressure line, whereas the conduit 3| is the return line to chamber 28.

In use of the above described device the pumping units, as shown in detail in Figs. 1-3V inclusive, are attached to the shoes 6 of the user and the tank unit 25 is supported from his back by The user of course carries the tool 32 in his hand. As the user walks about there is a recurring relative up-and-down movement between the subshoe l and shoes E, which causes a reciprocation of the pumps l and consequently the creation of a substantial pressure in the chamber 21 of tank unit 25. This pressure is, as previously described, utilized at the tool 32 to operate the latter.

In the event that the normal walking about of the user does not create sufficient pressure, the user, while standing at a given point, may rock his feet up and down so as to produce whatever additional pressure is necessary to maintain continued and effective operation of the tool 32.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

W'hile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as dened by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. A foot-actuated fluid pressure generator comprising a sub-shoe adapted to be disposed under the users regulation shoe, means adapted to connect the sub-shoe and regulation shoe for relative separating and approaching movement, a reciprocating pump unit, means connecting the pump unit at one end to the sub-shoe, other means adapted to connect the pump unit at the other end to said regulation shoe, and fluid conduit means leading upwardly from the pump unit; said first named means comprising a clip pivoted on the sub-shoe at the front for vertical hinging movement, said clip being adapted to removably attach to the regulation shoe at the fro-nt end, the pump unit being adapted to connect between the subshoe and regulation shoe adjacent the rear of the latter.

2. A foot-actuated fluid pressure generator comprising a sub-shoe adapted to be disposed under the users regulation shoe, means adapted to connect the sub-shoe and regulation shoe for relative separating and approaching movement, a reciprocating pump unit, means connecting the pump unit at one end to the sub-shoe, other means adapted to connect the Pump unit at the other end to said regulation shoe, and fluid conduit means leading upwardly from the pump unit; the means to connect the pump unit at said other end to the regulation shoe comprising a yoke adapted to straddle the heel of said regulation shoe, and a device adapted to removably clamp the yoke directly to said heel, the pump unit being upstanding and pivotally connected at its lower and upper ends to the subshoe and said yoke, respectively.

3. A foot-actuated uid pressure generator comprising a sub-shoe adapted to be disposed under the users regulation shoe, means adapted to connect the sub-shoe and regulation shoe for relative separating and approaching movement, a reciprocating pump unit, means connecting the pump unit at one end to the sub-shoe, other means adapted to connect the pump unit at the other end to said regulation shoe, and fluid conduit means leading upwardly from the pump unit; there being a spring arranged between the regulation shoe and sub-shoe urging the latter in a separating direction, said spring being of leaf-type secured at one end to the sub-shoe and slidably engaged adjacent the other end in a cradle formed in connection with said other pump connecting means.

4. A foot actuated fluid pressure generator comprising a sub-shoe adapted to be disposed under the users regulation shoe, means adapted to hingedly connect said shoe and sub-shoe at the iront for relative vertical swinging movement, a yoke adapted to be removably secured in straddling relation about the heel of the regulation shoe, said yoke including transversely spaced legs, a pair of upstanding pump units pivotally connected between the sub-shoe and corresponding ones of said yoke legs, and uid conduits leading upwardly from the pump units.

5. A foot actuated fluid pressure generator comprising a sub-shoe adapted to be disposed under the users regulation shoe, means adapted to hingedly connect said shoe and sub-shoe at the front for relative vertical swinging movement, a yoke adapted to be removably secured in straddling relation about the heel of the regulation shoe, said yoke including transversely spaced legs, a pair of upstanding pump units pivotally connected between the sub-shoe and corresponding ones of said yoke legs, and fluid conduits leading upwardly from the pump units; said yoke including a cross member extending beneath the regulation shoe directly ahead of the heel thereof, and an upwardly bowed leaf spring fixed on the sub-shoe longitudinally thereof and engaging said cross member with and normally urging the same upward.

6. A foot actuated uid pressure generator comprising a sub-shoe adapted to be disposed under the users regulation shoe, means adapted to connect the sub-shoe and regulation shoe for relative separating and approaching movement, a reciprocating pump unit, means connecting the pump unit at one end to the sub-shoe, other means adapted to connect the pump unit at the other end to said regulation shoe, and a pair of conduits leading upwardly from the pump unit; the pump unit being of the cylinder and reciprocating piston type and including a relatively small auxiliary uid upply reservoir, a check valve between the reservoir and cylinder opening toward the latter, one of said conduits connecting to the reservoir and the other conduit connecting to the cylinder, and a check valve interposed in said other conduit and opening away from the cylinder.

FRED A. MATULICI-I.

(References on following page) Number Name Date REFERENCES CITED 2,233,014 Indrieri Feb. 25, 1941 The following references are of record in the 2247723 Chafl July 1 1941 me of this patent: 2,281,142 Dav1s ADI. 28, 1942 5 2,385,419 Matuhch Sept. 25,1945 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date FOREIGN PATENTS A 1,663,647 Brush Mar. 27, 1928 Number Country .Date 1,998,734 vParker Apr. 23, 1935 59,533 switzenand 1911 2,162,057 Brandt June 13, 1939 104,745 Australia, 1938 2,228,635 Magennis Jan. 14, 1941 

